Pacman shows big improvement in training
MANILA—Pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao showed “a big improvement” in sparring at the Wild Card Gym of trainer Freddie Roach in Hollywood, his adviser Michael Koncz told the Inquirer Wednesday.
Koncz said that Pacquiao sparred a total of nine rounds against regular sparring partners, lightweights David Rodela (15-3-3, 6 KOs) and Raymund Beltran (23-4, 15 KOs), who are both small when compared to WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan and light middleweights Michael Medina (24-2-2, 19 KOs) and Glen Tapia (7-0, 5 KOs).
Medina and Tapia served as Pacquiao’s sparring partners in his Baguio training camp with Khan going up against the Filipino icon twice. There was no word on what happened to the supposed new sparring partners of Roach led by undefeated Vanes Martirosyan. The 6-foot super welterweight (28-0, 17 KOs) Martirosyan had vowed to knock down Pacquiao and earn the $1,000 that Roach had offered as a bonus to anybody who could drop the “Fighter of the Decade” in sparring. Koncz said that unlike his past sparring sessions, Pacquiao “was not huffing and puffing at the end,” indicating he was in fine physical condition. Conditioning expert Alex Ariza said Khan was ill but that there were no plans for him to spar with Pacquiao this time. Ariza said that he learned from those who watched the sparring at Wild Card that “it went well and Manny looked good.” Pacquiao will hold a media day at Wild Card Thursday (Wednesday in Los Angeles) with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Roach kicking off the event with interviews. Pacquiao will be featured one hour later with a workout and interviews. The following day, Antonio Margarito and trainer Robert Garcia will host a media day at the Fortune Gym on Sunset Boulevard at 1 p.m. The venue is owned by Justin Fortune, the former conditioning coach of Pacquiao.
Medina and Tapia served as Pacquiao’s sparring partners in his Baguio training camp with Khan going up against the Filipino icon twice. There was no word on what happened to the supposed new sparring partners of Roach led by undefeated Vanes Martirosyan. The 6-foot super welterweight (28-0, 17 KOs) Martirosyan had vowed to knock down Pacquiao and earn the $1,000 that Roach had offered as a bonus to anybody who could drop the “Fighter of the Decade” in sparring. Koncz said that unlike his past sparring sessions, Pacquiao “was not huffing and puffing at the end,” indicating he was in fine physical condition. Conditioning expert Alex Ariza said Khan was ill but that there were no plans for him to spar with Pacquiao this time. Ariza said that he learned from those who watched the sparring at Wild Card that “it went well and Manny looked good.” Pacquiao will hold a media day at Wild Card Thursday (Wednesday in Los Angeles) with Top Rank promoter Bob Arum and Roach kicking off the event with interviews. Pacquiao will be featured one hour later with a workout and interviews. The following day, Antonio Margarito and trainer Robert Garcia will host a media day at the Fortune Gym on Sunset Boulevard at 1 p.m. The venue is owned by Justin Fortune, the former conditioning coach of Pacquiao.
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